Planned road work to add turn lanes headed for town board

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Prospect Avenue may get a new look, starting this year with prep and utility work, with the actual road reconstruction beginning next year.

Director of Public Works Scott Zurn told the public works committee last week that the public works department has been working with Cornerstone Engineering to develop reconstruction plans for Prospect Ave., portions of Fir Dr. and Mocassin Circle Dr. They have received easement dedications from most of the property owners in the area.

“This important downtown bypass and collector level road has deteriorated to the point that reconstruction is necessary,” he wrote in a memo to the committee. “Over the years, poor drainage facilities and lack of maintenance has resulted in a need for complete reconstruction. Associated with this reconstruction is a reconfiguration of portions of the roadway to meet current roadway safety standards. In addition, pedestrian walkways will be added on one side. This will provide designated pedestrian areas off the street for patrons of the hospital and school children navigating their way to the school bus stop.”Zurn told the committee that engineers will be doing a geometric improvement of the road, adding right- and left-hand turn lanes and sidewalks.

“We`re trying to achieve a safer road,” he said.

Committee chairman Chuck Levine commented, “It`s a very ambitious project. Prospect certainly needs work. I look forward to the time when it`s done.”

Committee member Eric Blackhurst asked what will be accomplished this year. Zurn said the project has to go through the budgeting process.

“There`s not enough money to do anything other than one-half of the road,” he said.

Zurn said the reconstruction could be phased, but that would mean the road would be torn up two years in a row. Blackhurst said the town board should look at funding the project, complete a design, get the underground utility work done and start the road reconstruction next year. Levine agreed the prep work should be started.

“Anything you can do along that stretch of road helps,” he said.

He added that disrupting the neighborhood twice is not a good idea.

Blackhurst asked whether there is adequate space to widen the road without taking out some trees. Zurn said a few degraded trees will be removed. There will be an equal burden on both north and south properties. The roadway now is pushed more to the south, he said, and it will be centered more truly, giving more frontage to the south, and improving a corner.

“A number of design criteria affected the decision,” he said. “A few pine trees to the north will be lost. There`s plenty of right-of-way here. The property lines don`t go to the road.”

Every intersection will be reworked because of drainage and grades, he said. High Street will be the detour while the work is in progress.

The committee decided to place the issue on the town board`s consent agenda.